Tube-cleaning tool.



C. WI. GMFHN.

TUBE MEANING TOOL.

APPLICATION man JAN-15.19M-

mmm m INVENTOR.

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'GECIL IVL GRIFFIN, OF PITT$BURGIL PENNSYLVANIA,

TUBECLEANING TOOL.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 4t, Wit.

Application filed January 15, 1917. Serial No. 142,356.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that T, CECIL M. GRIFFIN, a citizen of the United States anda resident of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement inTubecondenser tubes, the tubes are in the cone denser and have waterpassed through the same, so that the interior of such tubes will collectdirt, scale and other foreign matter such as is usually found in rawwater, thereby reducing the efficiency of such tubes and requiring themto be cleaned frequently and at great expense, loss of time andinconvenience.

The object of my invention is to provide a cheap, simple and efficienttool for cleaning the interior of tubes, which can easily be applied tosuch tubes, will clean the same completely and uniformly, and in a rapidand convenient manner.

To these ends my invention consists, generally stated, in the novelconstruction, arrangement and combination of parts, as hereinafter morespecifically set forth and described and particularly pointed out in theclaim.

which my invention appertains to construct and use my improved tubecleaning tool, I will describe the same more fully, referring to theaccompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of myimproved cleaning tool as applied to a tube. Fig. 2 is a front view ofthe same. Fig. 3 is a rear end view of the same.

Like symbols of reference herein indicate like parts in each of thefigures of the drawin fist illustrated in the drawing, A represents myimproved cleaning tool, which is provided with the piston or shank 2,having a plunger or head 3 at one end of the same, and on the outer endor face of such head an inclined boss 4 is formed.

Extending around the shank 2 are the scrapers 1, which are in the formof coiled t5 springs, and bent-to such shape for provid To enable othersskilled in the art' to ing spiral portions 5 around such shank. Theseportions 5 are formed by bending a single piece of spring metal to formthe coils or convolutions 6 in such portions, which portions extendalternately back along the shank 2 from an end portion 7 formed betweensuch portions. The cleaner or scraper 1 is supported on the shank 2 bymeans of the end portion 7 thereon fitting within a slotted portion 8 inthe front end of said shank and is adapted to be held in place by meansof a riveted pin 9 passing through said end and slot and in front ofsaid end portion.

The free ends 10 of the spiral portions 5 are adjacent to the head 3,while the coils 6 in both of said portions are of the same diameter butslightly larger than the tube 1% for the purpose hereinafter described,with such diameter depending upon the tension desired for operating insuch tube. The

cross-section of coils 6 are tapered in cross-' section from the frontend of the shank 2 toward the free ends 10 of the same, so that thetension will be uniform through the length of the scraper 1, and theinside diameter of the coils slightly larger than the outer diameter ofthe shank 2 in order to allow for the scraper to engage against theinterior surface of the tube B.

When it is desired to place the tool A within the tube B, it is simplypushed in front end first, the coils 6 of the scrapers 1 compressing andstretching until they conform to the size of the tube, so that the outerfaces of such coils will be sprung against the inner surface of suchtube and bear against the same. After the tool A is thus in position atone end of the tube 18,

and it is desired to clean the interior sur-' face of such tube, waterunder a high pressure from a nozzle (not shown) is passed into such tubeto push it through, and the boss 4 will fit into the nozzle to guidesuch nozzle into the tube. By forcin the tool A through the tube B, itwill be 0 vious that the coils 6 of the scrapper 1 will scrape or loosenall dirt, scale or other foreign matter from the interior surface of thetube, and the water from the nozzle passing around the head 8 and alongsuch surface will assist in loosening up such foreign matter and carrythe same out the other end of such tube as the tool is pushed throughthe same by the Water.

ltllt) It will thus be seen that my improved tube cleaning tool'iscapable of being'easily and cheaply manufactured and is ready forinstant use When required. Thedevice Will adjust itself to conform tothe size of the tube by elongation of the same, is capable of beingcarriedalong' with other tools and will not require any adjustment touse the same, While practical experience with the" same has demonstratedthat tubes can be cleaned cheaply and quickly, and a" great saving inloss of time and labor accomplished.

It will be evident that various sizes of tools can be kept on hand forcleaning various'sizes of tubes, and that various modifications andchanges in the design, construction and application of the same may beresorted to, withoutdepartingtfrom the spirit of the invention orsacrificingv any of its advantages.-

-What Irclaim as my invention and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is..enlarged head on its rearward end, a

scraper formed of a single piece of spring metal loosely mounted in saidrecess and bent to form rearwardly extending helix portions around saidbar, a cross pin extending through said bar and across said recess toprevent accidental displacement of said scraper, and an engaging portionformed on the'rear end of said head.

.In. testimony whereof, I, the said CECIL 'M. GRIFFIN, have hereunto setmy hand.

CECIL M. GRIFFIN. Witnesses A. D, B. h/IILLER,

J L N; Coonn.

*Gopies ofthia patent maybe obtained for five centseach, by addressing"the Commissioner of Patents, 'Washingt'on, D. 0.

